Books like 'The Peacock Spring'
Readers who enjoyed The Peacock Spring by Rumer Godden also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
historical 20th century coming-of-age historical-fiction family literary-fiction female-mc
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Three Sisters by Heather Morris
24 ratingsA promise to stay together.An unbreakable bond.A fierce will to survive.From international bestselling author Heather Morris comes the breathtaking conclusion to The Tattooist of Auschwitz trilogy.When they are girls, Cibi, Magda and Livia make a promise to their father - that they will stay together, no matter what.Years later, at just 15 years old, Livia is ordered to Auschwitz by the Nazis...Categorized as:
family female-mc historical-fiction literary-fiction 20th-century adult audiobook book -
Last Port of Call by Jean Grainger
18 ratingsQueenstown, County Cork, IrelandApril 1912Twelve-year-old Harp Delaney is an unusual child, quiet and intelligent far beyond her years. She would rather spend her days in the library of the grand Georgian house that she sees as her home than playing on the streets with other children.Her mother, Rose, is the reserved and ladylike housekeeper at the Cliff House...Categorized as:
coming-of-age family female-mc historical-fiction literary-fiction 20th-century adult book -
The Lost Song of Paris by Sarah Steele
10 ratings'For a moment she closed her eyes and imagined she was perched on the diving board at the Piscine Molitor, the sun beating down on her bare shoulders and the sound of Parisians at play beneath her. All she had to do was jump.'1941. Darkness descends over London as the sirens begin to howl and the bombs rain down. Devastation seeps from every crack of the city... -
The Orphan's Mother by Marion Kummerow
12 ratings1945, the German-Polish border: With Nazis on one side and Soviet forces approaching on the other, a mother and her little boy are torn apart, and so begins an unforgettable tale of courage, heartbreak and motherhood in wartime.“If you ever get lost, Jacob, you need to stay where you are and wait, because I’ll come looking for you. And I’ll always find you... -
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The Forgotten Home Child by Genevieve Graham
18 ratingsThe Home for Unwanted Girls meets Orphan Train in this unforgettable novel about a young girl caught in a scheme to rid England’s streets of destitute children, and the lengths she will go to find her way home—based on the true story of the British Home Children...Categorized as:
coming-of-age family female-mc historical-fiction literary-fiction 20th-century abuse adult -
Gilding the Lily by Rita Bradshaw
10 ratingsA heartrending tale of two sisters and their quest for a place to belong, from much-loved author Rita Bradshaw.Lily and Sarah Brown's childhood is an unhappy one. Sarah escapes by marrying Ralph Turner, a Sunderland dock worker, but Lily doesn't trust Ralph - a dark volatile man with a hidden cruel streak. When he tries to seduce Lily on his wedding day, her worst fears are confirmed... -
Break of Dawn by Rita Bradshaw
10 ratingsEach day brings a new beginning... Her mother's death in childbirth leaves Sophy Hutton at the mercy of her cruel aunt and uncle, and her childhood is brutal. At sixteen, Sophy learns the shocking truth behind her birth and escapes to London to pursue a career as an actress, determined to put the past behind her... -
On a Wing and a Prayer by Helen Carey
10 ratings‘This dramatic and poignant novel depicts the resilience of ordinary people caught up in an extraordinary war.Unputdownable!’ Western Telegraph Life is hard in London in 1941, and yet Helen de Burrel finds herself volunteering to join the SOE. Nobody knows that her cool exterior conceals such courage ... and such fear. It also means that love, when it strikes unexpectedly, is doubly dangerous...Categorized as:
family historical-fiction literary-fiction 20th-century adult book fiction historical -
Secrets of the Homefront Girls by Kate Thompson
10 ratingsA new series from bestselling author Kate Thompson.During World War Two, Churchill declared that 'beauty was duty'. But for the women working at the Yardley cosmetics factory in London's East End, it's friendship and family... -
The Bookbinder by Pip Williams
12 ratingsA young British woman working in a book bindery gets a chance to pursue knowledge and love when World War I upends her life--an exquisite novel from the New York Times bestselling author of the Reese's Book Club pick The Dictionary of Lost Words It is 1914, and as the war draws the young men of Britain away to fight, women must keep the nation running... -
Far From Home by Lyn Andrews
14 ratingsAs daughter of the blacksmith in her tiny Irish village, sixteen-year-old Kitty Doyle knows little of the ways of the world, but she has to grow up fast when her widowed father re-marries and she has no choice but to leave the family home.Luckily there's work to be found over the water in 1920s Liverpool and soon Kitty has a job in a grocer's, where she also catches the eye of the owner... -
The Champagne Queen by Petra Durst-Benning
14 ratingsWhen Isabelle took a chance and eloped with Leon Feininger, her true love, she hadn’t stopped to consider what would happen next. Winter on his family’s isolated vineyard proves tougher than she expected, and Isabelle finds herself daydreaming, envisioning the wines she and Leon will make when they have their own land...Categorized as:
family female-mc historical-fiction literary-fiction 20th-century adult audiobook book -
Surviving the Fatherland by Annette Oppenlander
14 ratingsSpanning thirteen years from 1940 to 1953 and set against the epic panorama of WWII, SURVIVING THE FATHERLAND is a sweeping saga of family, love, and betrayal that illuminates an intimate part of history seldom seen: the children's war...Categorized as:
coming-of-age family historical-fiction literary-fiction 20th-century audiobook book fiction -
Hope for the Railway Girls by Maisie Thomas
6 ratingsThe brand new Spring Railway Girls novel set in Manchester during WWII. Perfect for fans of Nancy Revell, Daisy Styles and Margaret Dickinson.___________________Manchester, 1942A new year brings new hope for the railway girls.Alison's romance with the charming Dr Maitland is blossoming, but then she is posted away from Manchester... -
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Run with the Horsemen by Ferrol Sams
16 ratingsPorter Osborne Jr. is a precocious, sensitive, and rambunctious boy trying to make it through adolescence during the depression years. On a red-clay farm in Georgia he learns all there is to know about cotton chopping, hog killing, watermelon thumping, and mule handling. School provides a quick course in practical joking, schoolboy crushes, athletic glory, and clandestine sex...Categorized as:
coming-of-age family historical-fiction literary-fiction 20th-century animals anthologies classics -
A Daughter's Sorrow by Cathy Sharp
8 ratingsHeartache and hardship in London’s East End, from the bestselling author of The Orphans of Halfpenny StreetBridget has always been the one to take on the responsibility for looking after her family... -
Liverpool Daughter by Katie Flynn
8 ratingsA brand new novel from the bestselling author Katie Flynn. This is book one in her brilliant series about a young girl trying to make her way in war-torn Liverpool. Liverpool, August 1940 As the Luftwaffe turns its attention to Liverpool, Shane Quinn decides to move his family back to the safety of Ireland. But his only child, the beautiful Dana, refuses point blank... -
A Daughter's Price by Emma Hornby
8 ratingsGritty and page-turning historical saga set in Northern England in the late 1800s, for fans of Dilly Court and Rosie Goodwin... -
A Letter From Pearl Harbor by Anna Stuart
10 ratingsNinety-eight-year-old Ginny McAllister’s last wish is for her granddaughter to complete a treasure hunt containing clues to her past. Clues that reveal her life as one of the first female pilots at Pearl Harbor, and a devastating World War Two secret...Categorized as:
female-mc historical-fiction literary-fiction 20th-century adult book fiction friendship -
The War Girls of Goodwill House: The start of a brand new historical saga series by Fenella J. Miller for 2022 by Fenella J Miller
10 ratingsAs war looms, can they keep the home fires burning?Lady Joanna Harcourt and her daughter Sarah discover their life of luxury at Goodwill House is over. Because with Lord Harcourt away fighting, the Harcourt girls are facing financial ruin. Lady Joanna is terrified of losing their home, but for Sarah, this means her dreams of becoming a doctor are over... -
Millie by AnneMarie Brear
10 ratingsA brand new series from the author of the Kitty McKenzie series and The Slum Angel. The Great War is over, and Millie is ready to leave her loving family home and be a wife to Jeremy who is everything she had hoped for. Until… Not long after their wedding, Millie discovers Jeremy is affected by shell shock and moving into his late father’s cold dark estate escalates the problem... -
The Secret Diary by Anna Stuart
12 ratingsTwo women. One house. And a secret that spans decades…The past merges with the present in an unforgettable, poignant story of love, loss and courage in this beautifully written story set between World War Two and the present day.She steps into the room and it’s like going back in time.Catapulting her right into the heart of the 1940s.The spindle of the record player frozen and ready to play...Categorized as:
family female-mc historical-fiction literary-fiction 20th-century adult book fiction -
Stolen from Her Mother: An utterly heartbreaking World War Two page-turner set between Ireland and America by Rachel Wesson
6 ratingsWith a broken heart, she sinks to the ground. Tears run down her face as the truth hits her. “You can’t do this. She’s my daughter, my flesh and blood. I’ll never stop looking for her. Never. No matter what you say or do, I’ll find her.” Ireland, 1941: While war rages across the world, Kate struggles on her family farm by the wild Atlantic Ocean...Categorized as:
family female-mc historical-fiction literary-fiction 20th-century adult audiobook book -
Rose's Choice by Chrissie Bradshaw
6 ratingsRationing, bombing, disease and pit disasters are part of Rose Kelly’s World War 2 childhood. When the spirited coalminer’s daughter discovers a family secret, she makes a choice that overshadows her teenage years. Rose tries to make the most of post-war opportunities but family tragedy pulls her back to a life in the colliery rows... -
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Sweet Songbird by Teresa Crane
6 ratingsFleeing their Suffolk home in the wake of disaster, Kitty Daniels and her brother Matt arrive in the stews of 19th-century Whitechapel with nothing but the clothes in which they stand and, to each, a talent. Kitty’s voice may hold the key to escape from the savage squalor of the slums; but Matt’s talent for thieving, whilst more immediately useful, plunges them both into deadly danger... -
Secrets and Promises by Kate Jackson, Rosie Hendry
6 ratingsPreviously published as Secrets and Promises by Kate Jackson A poignant and unputdownable story of a woman who must finally acknowledge the secret she has hidden for a lifetime. But will it cost her all she holds dear?England, 1944: With deadly doodlebugs terrorising London, Bessie Rushbrook agrees to give shelter to eight-year-old evacuee, Marigold, in her Norfolk home... -
The Rose Stone by Teresa Crane
6 ratingsA dazzling jewel holds the key to a prosperous new life… or total ruin The Rose Stone. A diamond, gained through betrayal and blood, upon which the Rosenberg family's fortunes were founded and whose price is yet to be paid. Kiev, 1875: Josef Rosenberg narrowly escapes death from a Cossack raid, rescuing Tanya, the youngest daughter of his old friend Boris Anatov...Categorized as:
historical-fiction literary-fiction family romance historical 20th-century fiction epic -
A Daughter’s Dream by Cathy Sharp
6 ratingsHeartache and hardship in London’s East End, from the bestselling author of The Orphans of Halfpenny StreetAmy Robinson and her fiance Matthew are struggling to resist the temptations faced by a soon-to-be-wed couple. To avoid these, Matthew throws himself into a new job and she goes to work in an exclusive new dress shop, where she meets Mary Maitland...Categorized as:
historical-fiction female-mc family literary-fiction psychological romance 20th-century holidays -
Be Still the Water by Karen Emilson
6 ratingsFinalist 2019 Canadian Book Club AwardsShortlisted for the 2017 Margaret Laurence Award for Fiction2017 IPPY Silver Medal WinnerSet in 1906 along the unspoiled shores of Lake Manitoba, Be Still the Water brings us into the fold of the Gudmundsson Family—immigrants determined to begin life anew in the Icelandic farming and fishing community of Siglunes...Categorized as:
historical-fiction literary-fiction family coming-of-age female-mc fiction historical outdoors -
Birthright by Patricia Dixon
6 ratingsA woman's quest to save her family's chateau in France brings danger, rivalry, and romance--and reveals a secret buried since World War II . . .1931, Chateau de Chevalier: Ophélie, La Duchesse de Bombelle, receives a love letter from her admirer Picasso along with a gift: a priceless painting. Nine years later, the Nazis invade France and steal countless works of art, including Ophélie's gift . -
Margot's Secret by Roberta Kagan
6 ratingsAmid the chaos of Hitler's conquest of Europe, a family teeters on the edge of utter destruction.Trudy is still obsessed with her sister's husband, Max. But Max is torn between his loyalty to his wife, Margot, and giving in to Trudy, who might turn him in for the murder of her husband, the SS officer Rudolph...Categorized as:
historical-fiction family literary-fiction ww2 mystery historical fiction 20th-century -
When Daylight Comes by Lyn Andrews
8 ratingsJessica Brennan's world falls apart when her father is lost at sea. The death of her mother soon after is almost too much to bear. Then Jess learns that the family business is in ruins, and there are further blows to come.Suddenly a young woman who has known only comfort and security finds herself alone and friendless... -
When the Clouds Go Rolling By by June Francis
8 ratingsThe secrets of the past can never be forgotten An orphaned young woman is overjoyed to find a family she never knew existed, but has to come to terms with their troubled history. Since her parents died Clara O’Toole has lived with her grandmother, Bernie... -
The Girl in the Photo by Catherine Hokin
8 ratingsTheresienstadt Concentration Camp, 1944. ‘I have to go away, my darling. Please, be brave, stay alive, for me.’ Mama’s voice breaks. The little girl tries to stop the forbidden tears from falling, as the train takes her mother, and she is left alone…Berlin, six years later. Hanni Winter glows with pride as she shows her new husband around her first solo photography exhibition...Categorized as:
coming-of-age female-mc historical-fiction literary-fiction 20th-century adult book fiction -
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The Girl With the Yellow Star by Natalie Meg Evans
8 ratings“We have to wear the yellow star! It’s the rules!” the little girl sobs. But her mother presses a desperate finger to her mouth. “Darling, today is different. We are going to leave our stars behind and go on a long journey. We must be very, very quiet, and pray nobody finds us until we are safe in England…”Cornwall, England, 1943...Categorized as:
female-mc historical-fiction literary-fiction 20th-century adult audiobook book fiction -
Speedwell by Alex Martin
8 ratingsSpeedwell Living in the fast lane tests everyone's limits Katy and Jem enter the 1920's with their future in the balance. How can they possibly make their new enterprise work? They must risk everything, including disaster, and trust their gamble will pay off... -
The Last Card by Ruth Saberton
8 ratingsEscape to Cornwall this Christmas ... From the bestselling author of The Letter, Ruth Saberton’s beautiful new novella is the perfect seasonal blend of nostalgia, secrets and long-lost love, set against a backdrop of the stunning Cornish landscape. A lifetime apart. A love never forgotten... -
The Doorstep Girls by Valerie Wood
10 ratingsCan two friends find hope in hard times?Ruby and Grace have grown up in the poorest slums of Hull. Friends since early childhood, they have supported each other in bad times and good. But their families are bound together by more than friendship, and secrets from the past threaten to make their lives even more difficult... -
In a Kingdom by the Sea: An enchantingly beautiful and heartbreaking historical romance novel by Sara MacDonald
10 ratingsA sweeping, evocative story of love, secrets and betrayal, set against the stunning backdrops of Karachi and Cornwall. Perfect for readers who love Santa Montefiore, Rosanna Ley and Dinah Jefferies.When Gabby’s husband accepts a transfer to Pakistan, she discovers a new world of heat and colour, of exotic bazaars and trips to the breath-taking Kashmiri mountains...Categorized as:
family female-mc historical-fiction literary-fiction 20th-century adult audiobook book -
The Traveller's Daughter by Michelle Vernal
10 ratingsROSA’S PAST IS HER PANDORA’S BOX, AND THE LID IS ABOUT TO BE LIFTED … ‘If you lie down with dogs you’ll rise with fleas’ – Irish Proverb Rosa Sorenson’s conversation was often peppered with sayings from her homeland. It was these conversational clangers that gave her daughter Kitty the only clue as to a childhood her mother refused to speak of...Categorized as:
family female-mc historical-fiction literary-fiction 20th-century adult book fiction -
Peace Lily by Alex Martin
10 ratingsPeace Lily is the sequel to DAFFODILS and book two of the 'Katherine Wheel' series. After the appalling losses suffered during World War One, three of its survivors long for peace, unaware that its aftermath will bring different, but still daunting, challenges. Katy trained as a mechanic during the war and cannot bear to return to the life of drudgery she left behind... -
Beyond the Horizon by Ella Carey
12 ratingsFROM THE AUTHOR OF 'THE HOUSE BY THE LAKE' COMES A POWERFUL NOVEL OF FRIENDSHIP DURING WORLD WAR II, FIGHTING FOR THE TRUTH, AND MAKING PEACE WITH THE PAST.At the height of World War II, Eva Scott's dream comes true...Categorized as:
family female-mc historical-fiction literary-fiction 20th-century adult book fiction -
An Ordinary Woman: An utterly captivating and uplifting story of one woman’s strength and determination… by Susan Sallis
12 ratingsWhen Rose was four the scandal broke about her head. She was really too young to understand what was happening - only that her mother was in disgrace and that they were leaving Aunt Mabe in America and returning home to England. The following May, Joanna - 'Jon' - was born. Rose and Jon were totally different... -
Madame by Antoni Libera
14 ratingsThe comic "sentimental education" of a schoolboy who falls in love with his French teacher. Madame is an unexpected gem: a novel about Poland during the grim years of Soviet-controlled mediocrity, which nonetheless sparkles with light and warmth...Categorized as:
coming-of-age historical-fiction literary-fiction 20th-century adult audiobook book classics -
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Woesten by Kris Van Steenberge
16 ratingsHet indringende debuut van Kris Van Steenberge brengt ons naar de Vlaamse klei, waar de negentiende eeuw ten einde loopt. In het dorp Woesten treedt Elisabeth, dochter van de smid, in het huwelijk met de jonge arts Guillaume Duponselle. Maar er rust geen zegen op hun verbintenis. Als Elisabeth acht maanden later van een tweeling bevalt, blijkt de eerstgeborene een prachtige zoon, Valentijn... -
The Tuscan Secret: An absolutely gripping, emotional, World War 2 historical novel by Angela Petch
18 ratingsThe tragic consequences of war echo through the generations in this stunning tale, inspired by true events, about how family secrets can haunt us; and how love can guide us through the darkest times. Fans of Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale and The Letter by Kathryn Hughes will be captivated. ‘Anna, I kept a diary during the war...Categorized as:
family female-mc historical-fiction literary-fiction 20th-century adult book fiction -
Marking Time by Elizabeth Jane Howard
18 ratingsThe wonderful sequel to The Light Years returns readers to Britain in September, 1939, as war breaks out. Sheltered Louise, now 16, goes from cooking school to London parties. For 14-year-old Polly, the terrors of war cannot forestall the pangs of adolescence. And though Clary's father has been reported missing since Dunkirk, she holds to the belief that he's alive...Categorized as:
coming-of-age family female-mc historical-fiction literary-fiction 20th-century adult audiobook -
The Immigrants by Howard Fast
20 ratingsIn a passionate, multigenerational novel set against the backdrop of San Francisco, the son of an Italian fisherman struggles from the rubble of the great earthquake to build a shipping empire. Reprint... -
The Keeping Days by Norma Johnston
6 ratingsFourteen-year-old Tish, living in Yonkers, New York, chronicles her family's problems and experiences during a seven month period in 1900...Categorized as:
coming-of-age family female-mc historical-fiction 20th-century book children-books classics -
The Sisters O'Donnell by Lyn Andrews
6 ratingsThey were called the Sisters O???Donnell in County Tipperary. All with flaming red hair and tempers to match, they came to seek their fortunes in 1920s Liverpool full of ambition and hope. Gina planned to be a star of the theatre, Mary Kate wanted to find a husband. And gentle, timid Bridget just wanted to get away from the fighting around her and have a calm, peaceful life...
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